Richard “Adam” Bell, a donor greeter and sales floor associate at Goodwill Manasota, recently won a gold medal at the Special Olympics after weightlifting 147.5 lbs. Adam, who has competed in the Special Olympics for the past 10 years, won his first gold medal on November 16 at this year’s State Fall Classic competition, held in Kissimmee, Fl. Adam began his career with Goodwill through a partnership with Loveland Center, one of the many local agencies Goodwill works with to employ those with barriers to self-sufficiency. In October, Goodwill Manasota celebrated a milestone as 12 percent of its 800 local employees have some type of disability or severe barrier to self-sufficiency. The organization plans to continue creating jobs for those who are traditionally considered unemployable.  “We are extremely proud of Adam for his recent win in the Special Olympics! Adam is a prime example of someone who has exceeded expectations, set goals and succeeded through employment,” said Bob Rosinsky, president & CEO of Goodwill Manasota. “We always look at someone’s ability, not their disability – we want our employees to know that they can do anything they set their minds to. This win is a personal achievement for Adam, but we are all celebrating in his success.”

Goodwill Manasota